What it means to be a hero
by Pekenota14
Summary: After the Battle of New York, Manhattan is still being rebuilt. An elementary school is one of the buildings being reconstructed. Capt. America is called to talk with the students as one of the teachers died while evacuating the children. Steve ends up thinking about what it really means to be an hero. Single-chapter


_Should I put on the suit? The kids would love it._

_Maybe I shouldn't put it on…They need to see I'm a person just like them._

_Should I prepare a speech? Maybe not, I'd sound mechanical._

_But if I don't, I'll stutter! What do I even say? 'Sorry that we may have caused your teacher's death?' _

It had been a while since the Battle of New York and the city was rising by leaps and bounds from the ruins. Children were hyper ecstatic with the idea of the superheroes, and so were grown-up people. With the help of everyone, Manhattan was being reconstructed from the wrecks left behind by the Avengers and Loki and his Chitauri army. From the many building being rebuilt from scratch, there was one particularly special; an elementary school.

A teacher died while helping the children evacuating. There were more in the city (not many luckily) causalities but this one in particular was causing grief to the school community. Rogers was asked to visit the school and have a little chat with the kids. He promptly accepted but was extremely nervous.

He felt to have the weight of the world over his shoulders. His suit and armor carry the heritage and the colors of their country. He represents the patriotism and is seen as a person in whom people can relay their faith and hope. But people seem to forget that he is human too and that he isn't yet quite attuned with this era.

A glorious sun sheds its rays over Manhattan. Above everyone's head there's a cloudless sky and a light breeze gives that one touch to perfect the day. The Captain hasn't yet arrived the school and he can already listen to the children. They're all outside of the school, sitting what now is their partially destroyed playground.

Rogers stops by the entrance gate, having this weird feeling inside. The idea standing there before all those kids feels different and scarier than walking into a battlefield.

His arrival makes the environment turn into a complete uproar. The kids run and push to have the chance to shake hands with Captain America. Some are still sitting, incredulous and sulky because he's not wearing his suit. The teachers immediately come to help, noticing the distressed expression on Steve's face. Still, he continues to shake hands to the kids as he tries to walk, shedding the best smile he can. A tad uncomfortable and awkward smile because he's massively overwhelmed and stunned by the kids' reaction.

"Alright everyone, sit down please."

Steve's words seemed like a direct order because they all sit and fix their eyes on him.

"Well, I guess, first of all I should introduce myself. I'm-"

"Captain America!" The kids chant.

"Yes, but I have a name, just like you all have. My name is Steve Rogers. I'm here to talk to you about… what happened here in New York. It's rather complicate for me to tell you exactly what happened because you wouldn't understand it's meaning. So, mainly I'm here to…" Steve freezes.

His mouth moves but only verbalizes meaningless sounds. He gets nervous.

"Who can tell me what a hero is?" He finally speaks. He decides to let the speech flow naturally. The answers multiply into an imperceptible chorus of voices. "Am I a hero?"

"Yes!" They shout.

"Why so?"

"'Cause you fought the baddies." A girl says.

A boy immediately follows what she said and adds. "You kicked their asses and sent them back to where they belong."

"Who was Mr. Adler student please raise your hand." Steve waits, seeing many hands being rose up, being those mainly the younger kids. "Do you think Mr. Adler is a hero?" None makes a sound. "What if I tell you that your teacher was a hero, would you believe me?" The Captain lets that thought sink in for a little and then continues. "What qualifies someone as a hero is the value of his actions. It is what we do to help the others without thinking for our own profit."

"But Mr. Adler doesn't have a weapon and he didn't kill people." A boy points out.

"Smart of you to mention that. I've got something to show you." Steve walks to the gate again and brings with him his shield that he had left leaning on the wall, hidden from their sight. They are all in awe, staring the shield with eyes open widely. "All of you will have the chance the hold it, so please don't push each other and please do not hit it with anything or against anyone, alright? Just hold it and look at it, please. But before that, who can tell me what this is?"

"A shield." Multiple little voices answer.

"Yes, this is a shield. It is not an offensive weapon, right? It shields me from harm, so it's a defensive weapon. Do I kill people with it? Is this a weapon that can hurt others?" Steve gets a few head nods and continues. "Being a hero doesn't mean that it's alright to hurt people, to destroy things and to use weapons. Being a hero means doing the best we can with the less harm possible. It means protecting, not harming. Your teacher sacrificed himself to save many of you. He is a hero. How many of you have parents, siblings, relatives or know people that are in the military?" Only a few kids didn't raise their hands and suddenly many of them saddened. "Aren't those people heroes? Don't they fight for a cause in which they believe in? Don't they try to make the world a better place? Being a hero believes in a cause, fights for it. Heroes have a good heart and are always available to help. We are all heroes, each one of us, whenever we do something good. You know, I was supposed to come here, give you a big speech because it was thought that you'd be traumatized, but I gave up on the speech because you are not traumatized. You were ecstatic when I walked in, some were angry because I didn't have my suit on, I heard the comments. Why would I put on my suit? I'm just one of you, I'm only human. I was a little kid just like you, playing in the streets of Brooklyn and ever since I was a little boy I wanted to serve my country and its people, but I was sick. Hell, I had too many diseases! There were times when I seriously thought that my mother would enclosure me in a bell jar because I was too frail. But I didn't give up on my dream and made it to the Army. And here I am today, still protecting my people, wearing the most patriotic suit of all. It was said to me that nationalism is what people needed the most now and so I gave my best to assure them peace and hope when they most needed. I never asked for anything in return and yet, here I am today, being considered a hero. I guess all I can say is that we must unite and keep on hoping for the best. We don't need to immortalize people into heroes, it's no use. You, all of you, are the future of our country, and I hope you get to contribute to the society in some way; even with a small and apparently insignificant thing. A good deed always counts."

"God bless America." One of the teachers speaks.

"No. May God bless each and every person of the world because we all matter." Steve walks closer to the kids and hands to the shield to the first one before him. "Everyone will get his turn, alright?" Steve steps back and lets the kids pass the shield among them.

After all of the kids having seen and held the shield, it returns to Steve's hands. Even though he gave that inspiring speech to the kids, they're still children. They ask him to give them autographs and he even ends up taking a photo with all the school kids.

Steve grabs his shield and starts walking away. The kids follow him to the gate, watching him disappearing down the road. The Captain sighs. That feeling of having done something good fills him in and makes him feel good.

_Everything went better than what I expected_.

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